Mistakes Were Made
by Jaideum
Summary: Rodolphus Lestrange has done many things in his life. Some he enjoyed and some, like this, he regrets, or he will regret if Bellatrix has any say in the matter.


**Disclaimer: **I own nothing except my own ideas.

**A/N:** Written for The Test Your Limits Competition set by Lamia of the Dark. My character was Rodolphus Lestrange, who had to have his partner in life find out that he'd once posed for Playwitch. I have to admit that this tested my limits. I couldn't see this man doing something like posing for such a magazine, but I wrote this and it was truly the only way I could imagine it happening. Please leave a review and let me know what you thought.

**Mistakes Were Made**

His eyes shot open in surprise as something suddenly dropped into his lap. He scanned the room quickly for possible disruptions. What he found was none other than Bellatrix, his wife of one year, standing a few feet away from him. Her demeanour was tense and Rodolphus Lestrange immediately knew she was preparing herself for whatever would follow in their discussion.

"Bellatrix, is something the matter?" He questioned slowly, neither rising from his seat by the fireplace, nor shifting his eyes from her face. She'd dropped something into his lap, a book or file of some sort, but Rodolphus didn't dare look, knowing that any sign of weakness would only encourage Bellatrix's rebellious behaviour.

"I've come across some information regarding your exploits before our union," she answered, her hand waving dismissively at whatever lay in his lap. "Care to explain whether you'll have more of these moments were you forget to think, but act in a rash manner not befitting a Pureblood of your stature?"

Rodolphus' eyes involuntarily flickered down to his lap where a magazine laid, the front cover staring at him in an accusatory manner. He had forgotten about it, unimportant as it was, but apparently his wife did not agree with this thought. He shook his head slightly, a small smile curling around his lips at the thought of tormenting her with this.

He stood, taking the magazine in one hand as he did. Confidently he stepped closer to his wife. "Why Bella," he drawled. "Is it possible that you're jealous?"

Bellatrix's demeanour changed instantly, and with a quick movement she'd snatched the magazine from him. She held it up so that he could clearly see the half clad picture of himself and a woman of dubious nature. A slightly manic laugh echoed from his wife as she answered, "What you once chose to do with your time Rodolphus, or still choose to do with it, for that matter, is of no interest to me – except, if it could hinder our chances of joining the man who calls himself the Dark Lord. A man who has greatness in his sights and wishes to preserve the purity of the Wizarding world, someone we should all strive to serve."

Rodolphus could feel his own temper rising, and his words came quickly and venomously. "How dare you question my loyalty to the cause? We've both sworn that as soon as the opportunity presents itself that we'd join this man's following, and yet you think I would do anything to harm our chances of doing so? Bellatrix, what I did is in the past, it was a moment of drunkenness and a dare in a bar. The magazine was more than happy to accommodate us, it was done and forgotten, what would it matter now?"

The atmosphere surrounding them was tense, and Rodolphus feared that, in her silent fury, Bellatrix would at any moment decide that cursing him would be the only way to deal with their issues. Not that he feared her in a duel, but he did respect her enough to not allow his emotions to drive him towards such a thing as violence towards his wife.

He need not have feared though, because her silent mania calmed as she projected her anger into her words, instead of her magic. "A Mudblood, Rodolphus, common filth, that's what you chose to pose with for this magazine. Do you not think such a thing could hinder our standing in the Pureblood circles?"

Rodolphus staggered back as if he'd been hit. He sat down heavily on his previously abandoned seat. "Mudblood?" He questioned disbelievingly.

"Didn't much care to find out the slut's details whilst you were having your fun, did you Rodolphus? Dirtying yourself with such filth," Bellatrix said with a mocking smile, taking a step towards her husband.

"I- we- I didn't think-"

Bellatrix towered over him. "That's exactly the problem Rodolphus, you didn't think. You were lax, and you allowed yourself to be lead into something scandalous that could have caused you great damage, had anyone else gone to the trouble of finding out who your Mudblood friend really was. Understand this though," she leaned in closer, her voice dipping dangerously low. "If you were to jeopardise our chances at joining this noble cause again, I will kill you personally, marriage or not."

She stood straight again, gave her husband a last withering look and dropped the magazine into his lap once more, before turning away and deftly walking out of the room.

Rodolphus watched her go, again refusing to look at the offensive object that lay in his lap. He had no doubt in his mind that Bellatrix's threat was one she would carry out. He would have to do some work of his own, eliminate the possibility of anyone else discovering what he'd done four years ago.

He would start with the Mudblood. If she proved to be a problem, she would have to be killed. Then again, if his wife had been able to find her before confronting him…

_Well, then she'd hardly be a problem any longer. _


End file.
